The Hunt for the Tuatha de Danann
by The 6th Beatle
Summary: The Tuatha de Danann goes down in the Bermuda Triangle with all hands on board! Can Sergeant Sogura make it to Captain Testerossa in time? NUMA gets involved, and the situation gets harrier as enemy forces close in on the sub.


**Author's Note- Hello, it's me The 6****th**** Beatle. Some of you may know by my other name Rutilus 'Two-Hands' Obscurum. I have been thinking for awhile on doing something for Full Metal Panic involving Captain Testarossa and the submarine Tuatha de Danann, and Sgt. Sogura. I plan on using some things from some Tom Clancy novels. The submarine the Tuatha de Danann reminds me of the Red October in many ways, and is also much, much larger. Anyway, enough babbling, ropes aweigh! We set sail in to the strangest thing ever! Enjoy the story!**

**A 2009 Obscurum/6****th**** Beatle Production**

The Hunt for the Tuatha de Danann

Chapter 1- Off the Scope

Time: 2300 Hours

Location: Somewhere in the South Atlantic

Vessels: USS Bunker Hill, USS Pasadena, Tuatha de Danann

Normally in the middle of the night, modern vessels have all the latest technology to aid with their navigation. Advanced GPS radar arrays allow for navigation without a compass when it goes on the fritz. Satellite connected radios allow for more easily secured communication and early warning. There are however, some cases where the unexplained can happen in the safest of environments. What happened to the Tuatha de Danann is no exception.

Commander Joseph Mattson stood in the bridge of the USS Bunker Hill, eyeing his spinning compass with amusement.

"Well, we must be well into the triangle by now boys. Man this never gets old!"

They and the USS Pasadena had been escorting the great submarine the Tuatha de Danann across the Atlantic Ocean. Still dubbed TOYBOX by the American navy, the intelligence was dim on the true information about the great submarine.

As the men around the room chuckled, the captain stepped out of the bridge by one of the side doors. When he stepped out, he was surprised to find no sea spray washing him in the face.

"What the hell?!"

He heard the engines churning away, the bow slicing through the ocean in front of it, yet there were no waves or anything. The water was completely placid.

"Hey Henry! Get the hell up here!"

The navigations advisor approached the captain, saluting.

"What is it sir?"

"Didn't you say there were supposed to be some ten footers with light rain this evening?"

"Well, yes sir."

"Then why the hell are the waters around the ship completely placid? HUH? EXPLAIN THIS TO ME MR. WEATHER MAN!"

The navigator rolled his eyes. He sighed, and looked out over the water.

"There's no need to get so DAMN worked up over it commander. I can't explain it either. Want me to contact the Pasadena?"

The captain turned to the man, smirking.

"Sure. Maybe they can make me feel more insane right now."

The navigator returned to the bridge, and walked over to the communications officer who was hunched over his console.

"Hey, can you make contact with one of the vessels in the vicinity?"

"Sure, who with?"

"The Pasadena. Ask them if their little beer can is getting shook up by some ten footers."

"Aye."

The officer turned some dials, punched in some codes, and soon was linked with the USS Pasadena, a United States submarine.

"Hey, this is Bunker Hill contacting the Pasadena, copy?"

"We got ya, what the hell do you want?"

"You got some ten footers hitting your conning tower?"

There was a long pause, and the radio became slightly fuzzy. Soon through the light static, the response was heard.

"No weather to report. Didn't you guys say something about ten footers though?"

"Yes you idiot! That's why I'm contacting you!"

"Well commander we…"

The radio was cut off. The captain of the Bunker Hill pounded the console with anger.

"What the hell is this?! Pasadena, respond immediately!"

There was no response. All the green glowing consoles around him dimmed slightly, and the lights on the bridge went out.

"Jesus Christ! Contact TOYBOX immediately! Something strange is going on here!"

As the captain finished his sentence, all consoles glowed red. The glass displays then started changing to a strange image. One by one, they flashed on with the image of a platinum-haired girl, the long braid of it running over her shoulder. She wore a crazed expression, and had blood streaming from her nostrils.

"HOLY SHIT!"

The image, amazingly enough, was frightening enough to surprise the naval officers at their posts. One man fell from his chair, and listened as a voice came over the intercom. The voice had split, giving a strange demonic computerized effect. It began to speak.

"May the graceful giant parish in the ocean, the calming waters of god. May it sink to the bottom, its secrets sealed for eternity. The once graceful giant is no more, and the demons of this world are happy. Peace shall die away like a faint memory, and fire shall rain from the skies. The passing of captain and ship shall be marked by placid seas."

It was ended with a girl's laughter, and soon all power in the ship was lost. Suddenly it came online, and the radio was ablaze with chatter.

"This is TOYBOX contacting the Bunker Hill! Please respond!"

The communications officer snapped from his trance he had developed, and picked up his headset.

"This is the Bunker Hill here, what is your problem?"

"This is Captain Testarossa of the Tuatha de Danann! We have flooding in the first bulkhead, and our palladium reactors have temporarily failed! We're dead in the water here!"

"Do not worry Captain, we shall contact…"

"OH MY GOD!"

The radio went silent. The captain looked out of the bridge windows, and noticed it was lighter outside than it should be.

"What time is it?"

"It's 2330 sir."

He stepped up to the bay windows, and looked out toward the horizon with great intentness. He pulled a pair of binoculars, and pried his surroundings for any hints.

"Over there sir! At our one-o-clock!"

He turned at the words of one of the officers, to see a light. It roiled and expanded, and his jaw dropped.

"That was an explosion! That was the approximate position of the Tuatha de Danann as well!"

He turned to the helmsman.

"Turn to our one-o-clock immediately, and set our engines to full power! Communications officer, get in contact with the Pasadena, something has happened to TOYBOX!"

Suddenly, the dim light around the ship faded, and it was dark again. There was a tap on the deck, then another. Soon, a drum roll of hail was bombarding the Bunker Hill.

"Well it's about damn time! Continue on course 275 toward the Tuatha de Danann!"

The waves smacked against the side of the ship as it plowed through the relentlessly. The communications officer was hard at work at his console, attempting to regain communications with the damaged super sub and the smaller Pasadena.

"Captain Testarossa, are you okay?! Please respond! Damage report, anything!"

The radio crackled for a second, and the officer listened as the captain let out a faint response.

"Attention… Bunker Hill! Something is dangerously wrong with the de Danann!"

A popup window appeared on the communications display.

"Relay these coordinates to Sergeant Sogura and the others at Mithril! We're taking on water and our pumps are inoperable!"

There was a heterodyne scream over the radio.

"What the hell is this?!"

Everyone turned at the words of the communications officer.

"What's wrong?!"

"I'm getting heterodynes on the satellite uplink! That's impossible!"

As he fiddled with the console, one of the men pointed at the display.

"Aren't those coordinates?"

"Yes, while I'm working here, copy them down and relay them to the Pasadena. They need to assess the situation with TOYBOX. As well as them, find a Sergeant Sogura and relay these coordinates to him as well as those at Mithril."

"AYE SIR!"

The man ran off to get a pen and paper whilst the communications officer puzzled over the situation.

"There is no possible way for a satellite communications uplink to receive a heterodyne! You only get those on radio communication!"

He continued making adjustments until he acquired a signal.

"Got it! I got the… wait a second."

The officer listened as the yelling of men was heard over the radio.

"Jesus Christ! Can't someone help us? The squadron doesn't have much fuel left, and the compass is on the fritz! MAYDAY, MAYDAY! OUR ENGINES BLEW WE…"

He heard a splashing sound, and heard the faint gurgling of ocean water before the radio finally died on the other end.

"This is the USS Bunker Hill contacting unknown air force squadron! Please respond, for we can assist you!"

There was more crackling on the uplink, and soon another voice was heard.

"Is anyone receiving this?! This is the Cyclops! Please respond, we have had a sea collision! It looks like a giant submarine!"

The communications officer threw the headset down, and bolted for the window. The captain then returned as he watched the man move frantically.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"Give me your binoculars!"

"DO YOU WANT ME TO SEND YOU…"

"GIVE ME THE DAMN NOCS!"

The startled captain handed over the binoculars, and the communications officer stared intently through them. On the horizon, he saw a green bar, one end slanted, and the other end flat. It had a pilothouse, and a series of cranes normally found on older bulk carriers.

"Am I high?! Captain, look at this!"

He handed the binoculars to the flustered captain, who peered through intently.

"Get photographs of this. We've found the Cyclops and the avenger squadron."

Location: Jindai High School

Classroom: Class 4

Time: 0800

Sergeant Sosuke Sogura was attending to his rounds about the hallway. He was doing his hallway patrol, and was intent on doing the best job he could. From around a corner, a girl with aquamarine colored hair approached him.

"Good morning Miss Chidori."

"Good morning Sosuke. I'm surprised you haven't blown up the shoe lockers yet."

"I was just planning on checking."

This was met with a brief smack to the head.

"That smarts you know."

"YOU MORON! Quit blowing up the shoe locker!"

"Sorry."

Koname smiled at Sosuke.

"Just don't do it, or mention doing it okay? Anyway, your patrol needs to end. We DO have class you know."

Before they could enter the classroom, Sosuke's phone rang.

"Sogura here… yes… WHAT?! I understand! I will be on my way immediately provided I have airlift."

He slapped the phone shut, and grabbed Koname by the hand.

"What is it now…"

"They don't know for sure, but… they believe that the Tuatha de Danann went down in the Bermuda Triangle. There's no time though, there's an airlift waiting on the roof."

Before Koname could respond, Sosuke shot off up the stairs, Koname flailing out behind him like a ribbon. They made the five flights of stairs, and blasted out of the roof door to the sound of helicopter rotors but no helicopter.

"We're here! Uncloak so we can board!"

The helicopter faded into view and they piled on, a look of mixed anger and annoyance in Koname's eyes. The rotors began rotating faster and more rapidly, and soon the helicopter lifted off of the roof of the school and was off for the island base that Mithril was stationed at for maritime affairs.

As they cruised along in the morning sunlight, Koname began to shiver. Sosuke stepped up behind her, and dropped a wool lined jacket over her shoulders.

"You know I'm still kinda' ticked. We had another test planned today!"

"Miss Chidori, do not worry. Mr. Takenaka was sick with the flu."

The helicopter cruised on, and Sosuke sat down next to Koname.

"Hey Sosuke, are you worried about what might have happened to the captain?"

He looked forlornly out of the side window of the chopper. He had an expression drained of emotion.

"Don't worry Sosuke. I'm sure Tessa is alright. She is a master swimmer, and I'm sure she can save her submarine."

The chopper continued on, and soon the white sandy beach of the prefecture was fading away behind them. The sun was now fully up, casting a warm glow around the cabin. The door to the cockpit opened, and one of the pilots came through, saluting to Sosuke.

"Sergeant Sogura, sir! We will be landing soon!"

"Why are we landing? We aren't anywhere near the island."

"We're going to land on an aircraft carrier. You'll be flying non stop to America on a transport plane."

"Understood, return to your post."

The man left the cabin and returned to the cockpit. Koname looked out the window, noticing the horizon of the ocean getting broader in the sunlight.

"Hey Sosuke, why are we landing?"

"We're going to be taking a plane the rest of the way. Have you ever done a carrier takeoff?"

"No, why would we be doing that?"

"We're going to land on one of Mithril's carriers. There is a slight force when the steam catapult grabs onto the nose gear. After that, with the engines at full power, the plane lifts off from the deck. It's quite simple really."

The helicopter lowered in altitude, the deck of the moving aircraft carrier coming up to it. Soon, the helicopter's landing gear shakily reached the deck, and the motor was shut down while the rotors continued to whirr. Sosuke stepped out, the officers around him saluting. He stepped down off of the helicopter, and held his hand up. Koname stepped out, and he gently helped her down.

"Let's go to the briefing room Koname. If there's anything you want, just ask one of the officers around the room."

They marched off across the deck, the sunlight glinting from the canopies of the various aircraft parked on it. They walked for the tower-like pilothouse of the carrier, and entered through one of the side doors.

Location: 20000 feet below the surface of the South Atlantic

Time: 0900

Sixteen year old Captain Teletha Testarossa of the submarine Tuatha de Danann was sprawled on the floor plating in the command center. Her head was throbbing, and when she placed her hand on it, it felt moist and warm. She had received a concussion, and was bleeding profusely from a cut on her head.

"Dana, give me a status report for the entire sub" she said, shakily.

The screen changed to a diagram diagnostic of the submarine, and the specific areas turned red as the AI in the submarine listed them.

"Compartment one is flooded. Sector one of compartment 2 is flooded. Stabilizers have been destroyed. Hangar is intact, and there is no other flooding to report."

"Any other damage?"

"All but one of the palladium reactors are offline."

Tessa rubbed the bridge of her nose, deep in thought. Her mental processes had been clouded by the concussion.

"How about… the arm slaves?"

"Out of ten units, one has been destroyed, and the other nine are operational and intact captain."

She gingerly lifted herself from the deck plates, and got into a sitting position. The room was dark other than the one blue monitor displaying diagnostics, and the other monitors that were glowing red. Alarms were going off everywhere.

"Do we have any electrical power left Dana?"

"Three of four palladium reactors are currently offline. It would be possible to bring up another, for then we would have power for the oxygen skimmers and emergency lighting."

"What about hydraulic systems?"

"All hydraulic systems are operable if you can reactivate the palladium reactor."

Steadying herself, Tessa raised herself from the deck plates and got into her commander's chair. Pressing on one of the arms, a keyboard appeared in front of her, and she began to type, going through the various systems of the ship.

"Can we remotely activate the reactor?"

"Only the cooling system, captain. There is no radioactive danger, and so it is possible to manually raise the fuel rods. With that, you can operate the reactor at a moderate safety level by rotating both wheels exactly two and one half times to the right from the twelve o clock position."

She relaxed, and began to move when she felt a searing pain in her lower right leg. She screamed with pain, and began to sob uncontrollably. She sat in her seat, fighting the pain and calming her nerves. She tried once more to move, with no result. Readjusting in her seat, she brought up the console again.

"Dana… is… the intercom system… still functional?"

"Yes captain."

She pressed a button on the translucent keyboard in front of her, and began to speak.

"Anyone please! Please help me! I'm in the command center! Anyone! Sergeant Major Mao, Kurz! Anyone, please… please help me!"

Soon, the captain fell unconscious. The final images in her mind were of the people slumped forward in their various seats in the command center, unconscious as well. Finally, she took a deep breath… and went to sleep.


End file.
